Henri Harpignies Biography | Oil Painting Reproductions

Henri Harpignies parents wanted him to business profession career, but he wanted to be an artist no matter what, and his persistence finally paid off when he was permitted at the age of twenty-seven to enter the art studio Jean Achard in Paris. From this painter, he acquired the groundwork of sound constructive drawing skills, which is such an important element in Henri Harpignies landscape oil paintings. After two years of studying under this demanding instructor, he went to Italy for three years.

During the next few years he devoted himself to painting children in a landscape setting and was able to meet with Corot where a bond of warm friendship was formed, and he also met with the other Barbizon artists, whose ideas and techniques he incorporated into his art. In 1860, Henri Harpignies and Jean Baptiste Camille Corot went together to Italy on a painting and museum tour.

On his return, Henri Harpignies scored his first great success at the Paris Salon of 1861, with his Lisière de Bois Sur Les Bords de l'Allier. After that year he was a regular exhibitor at the Salon. He did decorative work for the Paris Opéra House, and the Vallée d'Egérie panel, which he showed at the Salon of 1870. He received his first medal for Le Soir Souvenir de la Campagne de Rome in 1886, which was bought by the Luxembourg Gallery.

Art Movement: Barbizon School.
Artists Influencing Harpignies: Jean Achard.
He Traveled To Italy.
Painters Henri Harpignies Influenced: Émile Appay, Jeanne Rongier, Jane Le Soudier, Louis-Alexandre Cabié, Pierre Vignal, Raymond Verdun, Émile Dardoize.
Artist's Biography compiled by Albert L. Mansour at The World's Artist, with text adapted from Wikipedia.